This third installment of the Detective Inspector Chen series is another solid entry. It's not quite as fascinating as its predecessors, probably because, aside from the introduction of dragons, not a whole lot of new territory is opened. Once again, Chen and his demon partner Zhu Irzh find themselves caught in the middle of a conflict between Heaven and Hell. While they try to uncover just what is going on, they meet a mysteriously precocious child, a devoted grandmother, a not-quite-dead-yet ghost, Zhu Irzh's mother, and a pair of warriors from Heaven and Hell with more than a little in common. Plus most of the cast we've met over the previous two novels put in appearances. The plot takes a long time to unfold and once things start happening they start happening with a rush. All-in-all a good little book.

Share/Like this Review?